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Development and design

In original concepts as shown in The Art of My Little Pony: The Movie, the Storm King was originally designed as "more elemental, like an actual storm" and later reworked to have a four-legged wolf-like form. One early piece of concept art by Joy Ang identifies this form as a raijū, a creature from Japanese mythology with a body composed of lightning. The Storm King's final design was decided upon when the art team wanted him to be bipedal, and according to the film's art director Rebecca Dart, "we were designing him more like a baboon or a yak." Concept designer Jose Lopez has also stated the Storm King's design was "inspired by iconic figures from classic films that director Jayson Thiessen thought were good references for the character's personality."

In interviews with Lionsgate, Liev Schreiber has stated of the Storm King, "He's sort of a little bit like Basil Rathbone, just a sort of insane, maniacal, crazy goat-man."[1]

The Making of My Little Pony: The Movie.​[​specify​]​

Depiction in My Little Pony The Movie

The Storm King calling Tempest.

The Storm King appears in My Little Pony The Movie as the central antagonist. His second-in-command Tempest Shadow, underling Grubber, and army of Storm Creatures are sent to Canterlot as an advance force to occupy the city and secure the magic of the four Alicorn princesses. In his first on-screen appearance, the Storm King communicates with Tempest via potion spell, and he reminds her of the terms of their agreement: deliver to him the princesses' magic and empower his Staff of Sacanas in exchange for restoring her broken horn.

After Twilight Sparkle's capture, the Storm King appears before her and uses the Staff of Sacanas to drain her and the other princesses' magic, granting him massive power and control over the sun and moon. When Twilight's friends come to her rescue, the Storm King uses his newfound power to create a powerful cyclone. Tempest tells him to fulfill his end of their agreement and restore her horn, but he reveals that he was just using her and attacks her. Before the Storm King can destroy Twilight and Tempest, the rest of the Mane Six intervene and knock the Staff of Sacanas out of his hands.

As the staff's magic runs out of control, the Storm King and Twilight race to claim it, and they are both swept into the storm. They soon return to solid ground, and the Storm King attempts to turn Twilight and her friends to obsidian stone. Tempest, changed by the Storm King betraying her and Twilight saving her from the storm, jumps in the way, and they are both petrified. The Storm King's body falls off the castle balcony and shatters to pieces.

The Storm King is defeated.

During the film's end credits, one of the King's Storm Guards assembles his apparently still-sentient body into a hodgepodge of rearranged body parts, which falls apart. Tempest also swings at a piñata bearing the Storm King's likeness, before resorting to using her horn to blast it open.

Depiction in the series

Illusion of the Storm King in What Lies Beneath.

The Storm King is mentioned by both Twilight Sparkle and Sandbar in School Daze - Part 1, set after the events of My Little Pony The Movie.

Other depictions

The Storm King's past serves as the basis of My Little Pony: The Movie Prequel Issue #1. In the issue, he and his second-in-command Strife invade the Abyssinian capital of Panthera, plundering all the palace treasure and setting fire to the rest of the city. However, Strife later betrays the Storm King and allies with Captain Celaeno and her crew of parrot pirates. The Storm King, enraged by this betrayal, appoints Grubber as his new second-in-command.

In Issue #2, the Storm King catches up with Celaeno's ship, tosses Strife overboard for his betrayal, and forces Celaeno and her crew to work for him as cargo haulers.

In Issue #4, the Storm King tracks down Tempest Shadow, who has been in possession of the Misfortune Malachite while fleeing from his Storm Creatures. The two then form an alliance, with Tempest agreeing to become the Storm King's new lieutenant in his search for magical power in exchange for the Storm King healing her broken horn.

In The Stormy Road to Canterlot, the Storm King meets a broken-horned Fizzlepop Berrytwist who stole the Misfortune Malachite from his possession. He offers to fix her horn if she can retrieve a pearl from the kingdom of Hippogriffia. After Fizzlepop, now going by Tempest Shadow, fails in this task, she suggests stealing the magic from the three Alicorn princesses of Canterlot, to make him more powerful.

This book somewhat contradicts the film's version of what happened to the Hippogriffs, as it states that Tempest and Grubber caused them to flee, rather than the Storm King.

The Storm King is a character in Gameloft's mobile game. His in-game description states, "He's got a big army! He's CLEARLY our foe! He's villainous! What more do you need to know?"

Hasbro.com description

The Storm King is the evil and iron-fisted ruler of all the lands south of Equestria. He spent the past several years expanding his empire and now wants to take over Equestria! Loud, angry, and a little bit crazy, he has defeated all potential threats to his kingdom with his vast army of fearsome Storm Creatures.[2]

My Little Pony Friendship Club description

The Storm King is the evil and iron-fisted ruler of all the lands south of Equestria. He spent the past several years expanding his empire and now he has his sights set north on the homeland of our little ponies. Loud, angry, and a little bit crazy, he has defeated all potential threats to his kingdom with his vast army of fearsome Storm Creatures.[3]

The Art of My Little Pony The Movie description

THE STORM KING is the evil and iron-fisted ruler of all the lands south of Equestria. He spent the past several years expanding his empire, and now he has his sights set north, on Equestria. Loud, angry, and a little bit crazy, he has defeated all potential threats to his kingdom with his vast army of fearsome Storm Creatures.

Merchandise

In the Friendship is Magic Collection, a mini-figure of the Storm King is included in the Canterlot Castle Ultimate Story Pack with Princess Celestia. In the Guardians of Harmony toy line, a "Fan Series" figure of the Storm King and Grubber was also released.
The Storm King is also featured on cards #17, #57, #60, and #68 in the My Little Pony The Movie set of Enterplay's trading cards. In the Seaquestria and Beyond expansion set of Enterplay's collectible card game, cards #46 C and #142 UR are of the Storm King.

Personality

The Storm King smiling.

The Storm King is portrayed as an evil and power-hungry tyrant. His demeanor unpredictably shifts between pleasant and cheerful, sardonic and petulant, and cold and ruthless. He displays a cruel and arrogant nature, turning his nose up at the notions of "cuteness" and "friendship", and he is quick to lose his temper when things don't go his way. Despite having been betrayed in the past by one of his own minions, the Storm King himself is deceitful and manipulative, making false promises to restore Tempest Shadow’s horn and then turning his power on her when she is no longer of any use to him.

Quotes

"Here's the deal. I'm in the middle of a big re-brand here. "The Storm King" is tracking, well, as "intensely intimidating", but you know what? I need to back it up. You know what I need to back it up with? A storm! That would be great! You promised me magic that could control the elements, and right now, I'm holding a what? A branch. A twig. Bleh!"